The Lama temple also called Palace of Harmony or Yonghegong Lamasery is the most important Buddhist temple in Beijing. Situated in the north-east part of the city and divided in five courtyards, it shows an impressive Tibetan yellow-sect decoration with demons, Tibetan style murals, Buddhist treasures inside and the impressive 25 meters high golden Buddha. It was constructed in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty and survived the Chinese Cultural Revolution being re-opened in 1981. It occupies an area of 66,400 square meters divided in five main halls with temples and others that are used now as a gallery for old Buddhist treasures and pottery.
Buddha of 25 meters (Lama temple)
The Hall of the Heavenly Kings is so called because Four Heavenly Kings are enshrined in the hall. At the center of the hall there is a statue of Maitreya.
The Hall of Harmony and Peace is composed with statues of three Buddahas: Sakyamuni (Buddha of the Present), Kasyapa Matanga (Buddha of the Past) and the Maitreya Buddha (Buddha of the Future).
The Hall of Everlasting Blessings located inside the adjacent courtyard was the residence of Emperor Yongzhen when he was still a prince. Buddha’s positioned in this hall are the Amitabha Buddha of the infinite life, the Lion Buddha and the Medicine Buddha.
The Hall where Buddhist monks hold their ceremonies was the Dharma Wheel. The hall has a statue of Tsong Khapa inside who was the father of the Yellow Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Behind the statue you will be able to see an exquisite woodcarving in a shape of hill which has 449 Arhats statues of the initial 500.
The last main hall is the highest of all ans is called is the Pavilion of Infinite Happiness. It is a three-storey building, accompanied by two smaller pavilions with the statue of Maitreva in the main hall, positioned with seventh Dalai who was presented to the Emperor Qianlong, the son of the Emperor Yongzheng. The temple is located in the Dongcheng District, near the northeastern corner of the Second Ring Road and is a great place to feel Buddhism and be able to observe people offering incense for their prayers.
If you want to visit the Lama Temple:
- Price: CNY 25
- Opening Hours: 9am-4:30pm (Monday-Sunday)
- Transport:
Take Subway Line 2 or 5 and stop at Yonghegong-Lama Temple.
Take Buses 18, 44, 62, 684, 858, 909 to Yonghegong Qiaodong (雍和宫桥东)
- Address: 12 Yonghegong Dajie, Beixinqiao, Dongcheng District,
Statue of Confuciu at the temple
The Confucious temple
北京孔庙/北京孔廟
Near the Temple of lama on Guozijian Street near the Imperial Academy we can find walking through a main Hutong street the popular Temple of Confucius which is the second largest in China after the one in his hometown of Qufu. Built in 1302 it was enlarged during the two most important Dynasties of China: the Ming and the Qing. The hold temple with its four courtyards occupies 20.000 squares meters.
Confucius’s temple also includes a part of the art collection of the Capital Museum. From north to south we can find different structures like the Xianshi gate, the Dacheng Gate and the Hall of Dacheng.
Inside the temple there are 198 stone tablets with more than 51.624 names of Jinshi of the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. They explain advance scholar lessons and contain ancient Chinese documents.
If you want to visit the Temple of Confucious:
- Price: CNY 20
- Opening Hours: 9am-5pm
- Transport:
Take Subway Line 2 or 5 and stop at Yonghegong-Lama Temple. Take Buses 18, 44, 62, 684, 858, 909 to Yonghegong Qiaodong (雍和宫桥东)
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